Below you’ll find an article written by former AME Minster, Dr.
Bennie Colclough. Dr. Colclough has been at the forefront of the civil
rights movement in SC for most of his life, and he continues the fight
for LGBT equality today. Over the past three years, Dr. Colclough has sacrificed friendships, a high position in the church, and his own comfort to take a stand for what he knows is right. We would all do well to heed his call.
Can we hear the call for change?
The African-American community should pay close attention to what
Sen. Barack Obama has said about equality for gay and lesbian Americans
and the correlation of religion-based bigotry and discrimination
against African-Americans.
The struggle for justice, equality, and dignity for gay and lesbian
Americans continues and Sen. Obama and other leaders have engaged the
African-American faith community on this issue.
Are we listening?
As an African-American minister, I many years ago heard the call
for change on this issue and it is still my resolve today to be a
missionary for justice and equality, to be courageous, true to my
faith, and challenge the African-American faith community, to love God
with our whole heart and our neighbors as ourselves.
The African-American faith community must defend the human dignity
of all people as distinguished leaders in our community are calling us
to this task.
Consider Coretta Scott King’s remarks in a 1998 address in which she
said that “Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms
of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to
deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.”
Just last week it was announced that Julian Bond, an icon in the
civil rights movement for nearly 50 years and longtime national
chairman of the NAACP, has stepped into a leadership role with the
Fairness for All Families Campaign in Florida, a statewide coalition
effort working to prevent an effort to write discrimination against
gays and lesbians into that state’s constitution.
These leaders recognize the history of religion-based bigotry and
discrimination toward our own community. We know that religion was once
misused to justify slavery.
Today it is being misused to deny members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community full and equal rights.
The African-American faith community must recognize the perpetrators
and injustice, and bring about an end to the hurt that has been caused
to so many.
Discrimination is morally wrong and un-Christian. Let me repeat this: Discrimination is morally wrong and un-Christian.
Sen. Barack Obama has said that he strongly disagrees with the views
of people like gospel singer Donnie McKlurkin and others who use
religion to attack members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender community. Those of us who are missionaries for justice and
equality are hopeful that Senator Barack Obama will be true to his
platform for change, and speak out against religious bigotry coming
from a select group of African-American evangelical leaders.
His appearance Monday night at a presidential debate in Myrtle Beach would be a good opportunity for him to do just that.
While Senator Obama’s candidacy for president of the United States
offers hope, let us not forget a facet of society that has had little
hope for change the last 20 years. The purpose of our government, first
and foremost, is equality under the law, respect for human rights, and
protection of all our citizens, whether they are white, black, male,
female, disabled, Christian, or gay. We must be about the business of
building a beloved community with a foundation of compassion and
justice for all.
The Declaration of Independence says: “All people are created equal
and endowed with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness.” The Bible says, “love the Lord your God with all
your heart” and “love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31 There
are no exceptions about who our neighbors are.
We must be courageous enough on our watch to change our society for the better.
So let us hear the call for change from our leaders and join them in
challenging those people who misuse religious teachings to justify
attitudes of condemnation and discrimination toward our gay and lesbian
friends and neighbors.
Rev. Dr. Bennie Colclough of South Carolina serves as co-chairman
for the S.C. Progressive Network and has been a longtime advocate for
the LGBT community. He is a contributing writer for Faith In America,
an organization that works to help the public better understand the
harm caused by religion-based bigotry and discrimination.